Mark 16:14-20: a reflection

14Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to the whole creation. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 17These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

The risen Jesus commissions his disciples: Go into all the world and preach the good news to the whole creation. It is a great task, sending them out to the whole world. But notice how the passage ends: they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word. They did not go alone; the Lord went with them, working with them, confirming their message. Sent to a great task, they were not left to do it in their own strength, but accompanied by the Lord himself.

Notice the last phrase: the Lord working with them. The disciples were sent out on a great mission, to the whole world; but they did not carry it alone. The Lord, having ascended, worked with them, was present in their labor, confirmed their word. The mission was theirs to carry out, but the Lord was with them in it, working alongside them, not leaving them to their own strength. Sent, but not sent alone; the Lord worked with those he sent.

That is a great encouragement for the tasks God sends us to. When God calls us to a task, whether the great mission of bearing witness to the gospel, or any work he gives, we can feel we must carry it alone, in our own strength, and be daunted by it. But the Lord does not send us alone; he works with those he sends, present in our labor, accompanying us in the task. When God sends you to a task that feels beyond you, do not think you must carry it in your own strength alone; the Lord works with those he sends, as he worked with the disciples in their mission. You are sent, but not sent alone; the Lord goes with you, working alongside you in the task he has given. Take courage from this: whatever God sends you to do, he does not leave you to do it alone, but works with you, as he worked with the disciples he sent into all the world. Go to your task in the strength of the Lord who works with those he sends.

Lord, the risen Jesus commissioned his disciples to go into all the world and preach the good news; and the passage ends: they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word. They did not go alone; you went with them, working alongside them, confirming their message. Give me great encouragement from that for the tasks you send me to. When you call me to a task, whether bearing witness to the gospel, or any work you give, I can feel I must carry it alone, in my own strength, and be daunted by it. But you do not send me alone; you work with those you send, present in their labor, accompanying them in the task. When you send me to a task that feels beyond me, keep me from thinking I must carry it in my own strength alone; you work with those you send, as you worked with the disciples in their mission. I am sent, but not sent alone; you go with me, working alongside me in the task you have given. Let me take courage from this: whatever you send me to do, you do not leave me to do it alone, but work with me, Lord, as you worked with the disciples you sent into all the world. Help me go to my task in the strength of you, who work with those you send.